Insect monoamine transporter and methods of use thereof

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a lepidopteran octopamine/tyramine transporter. Nucleic acids encoding the transporter, and vectors and host cells comprising the nucleic acids are provided. The invention further provides a recombinant octopamine/tyramine transporter, kits and compositions comprising the transporter, and methods of identifying agents that mediate the activity of the transporter.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 60/137,929 filed Jun. 7, 1999 which application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Neurotransmitter transporters can be classified into three different families based on their amino acid sequence similarities and the type of gradient used for transport. The first family, the Na⁺/Cl⁻ dependent neurotransmitter transporter family, contains integral membrane glycoproteins that have twelve putative transmembrane domains and use sodium and chloride gradients to transport neurotransmitters across the plasma membrane. The members of this family can be subdivided into four subfamilies based on the type of neurotransmitter transported and specific molecular features of the proteins: (1) monoamine transporters, (2) GABA, betaine, taurine and creatine transporters, (3) glycine and L-proline transporters and (4) orphan clones. The second family, the Na⁺/K⁺ dependent glutamate transporter family, contains plasma membrane glycoproteins that have six to nine putative transmembrane domains, require K⁺ ions and use Na⁺ gradients as a driving force to transport the neurotransmitters across plasma membrane. The third family, the proton dependent vesicular transporter family, contains proteins powered by proton gradients to pump the neurotransmitter from the cytosol into synaptic vesicles.

The members of the monoamine subfamily of Na⁺/Cl⁻ dependent neurotransmitter transporters include transporters for: dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (SER) and L-epinephrine(E). Most of the cloned monoamine transporters have been isolated from mammals. Monoamine transporters have also been isolated from fruit fly and frog. The cDNA sequences of these transporters made available by molecular cloning reveal features common to all monoamine transporters. The deduced amino acid sequences of all cloned monoamine transporters indicate the presence of twelve putative transmembrane domains, two highly conserved cysteine residues on the large second extracellular loop, conserved consensus sequences for two to four N-linked glycosylation sites and phosphorylation sites on the intracellular domains for protein kinase C (PKC), cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and Ca²+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (reviewed by Kitayama and Dohi, (1996) Jpn J. Pharmacol. 72:195).

Insect neurotransmission, like that in mammals, is mediated by several types of neurotransmitters: biogenic amines, amino acids, neuropeptides and nitric oxide. Among the monoamines known to participate in insect neurotransmission are: octopamine (OA), dopamine (DA), serotonin (SER), histamine and possibly tyramine (TA) (Osborne (1996) Pharmacol. Ther. 69:117).

OA, first discovered in the salivary glands of octopus, has been shown to be present in high concentrations in several insect nervous tissues. OA is a phenolamine, the monohydroxylic analogue of norepinephrine (NE). Based on OA's similarity in structure to NE and the fact that OA appears to play many of the roles that NE plays in mammalian systems, it has been called “the insect norepinephrine”. Several studies have shown that in insects, OA functions as neurohormone, neuromodulator and neurotransmitter (reviewed by Evans (1985) Octopamine. Comprehensive Insect Physiology. Biochemistry and Pharmacology. Volume 2, Kerkut et al., eds., Pergamon Place, Oxford).

In the insect nervous system, TA is generally considered the immediate precursor for OA. OA is synthesized from tyrosine by decarboxylation to tyramine and then subsequent β-hydroxylation to OA (Evans (1985) supra). The quantification of OA and its precursors (tyrosine and TA) in the nervous systems of two lepidopteran insects, Trichoplusia ni and Manduca sexta, support the idea that TA represents the immediate precursor for OA. There are some indications that TA has a functional role distinct from OA. Various studies indicate a possible role for TA as neurotransmitter or neuromodulator, in spite of being the immediate precursor of the well established neurotransmitter, OA.

Among the monoamines present in the insect nervous system functioning as neurotransmitters, OA is the only one specifically active in insects and other invertebrates but not in vertebrates. This makes OA, OA receptors and OA transporters desirable targets for pest control strategies. Even though specific OA uptake systems have been functionally described in both insect tissue and synaptosomal preparations, the OA systems are heretofore relatively uncharacterized at the molecular level. There is a need in the field for characterization of components of the OA transport system that may serve as targets for insecticides. The present invention provides a nucleic acid encoding an insect OA transporter and related embodiments useful for the identification of insecticides.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an isolated nucleic acid encoding a lepidopteran octopamine (DA)/tyramine (TA) transporter. In a preferred embodiment the nucleic acid is isolatable from Trichoplusia ni. In another preferred embodiment the isolated nucleic acid has the nucleotide sequence of SEQ. ID. NO: 1. In another preferred embodiment the isolated nucleic acid has a sequence encoding the amino acid of SEQ. ID. NO: 2.

The present invention further provides vectors comprising a nucleic acid encoding a lepidopteran OA/TA transporter. Host cells comprising the vectors are also provided.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter, and host cells, oocytes, kits and compositions comprising a recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter. Methods of identifying agonists and antagonists to a lepidopteran OA/TA transporter are also provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 provides the nucleotide (SEQ. ID. NO: 1) and deduced amino acid (SEQ. ID. NO: 2) sequence of the OA/TA transporter. The first nucleotide and amino acid residue of the translational start are designated as position 1. The 5′-UTR (384 nt) and 3′-UTR (107 nt) are depicted in lower case letters and the ORF (2013 bp) is depicted in upper case letters. The deduced amino acid sequence is depicted in upper case italic letters. The positions of the translational start codon (ATG) are shown by the rectangle and the inframe stop codons (TAA) by the circles. The dashed line represents the polyadenylation signal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to isolated nucleic acids encoding lepidopteran OA/TA transporters. An isolated nucleic acid encoding a lepidopteran OA/TA transporter is defined herein as a nucleic acid isolatable from an insect of the order lepidoptera and capable of encoding, under appropriate conditions, a functional OA/TA transporter. In a preferred embodiment, the nucleic acid is isolatable from caterpillars of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (T.ni). A functional OA/TA transporter is defined herein as a protein which, when expressed in a suitable host cell or membrane, transports OA and TA into the cell or across the membrane in a sodium-dependent and dose-dependent manner.

The isolated nucleic acid may be DNA or RNA, including cDNA and mRNA. In a preferred embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid has a sequence encoding the amino acid sequence set forth in FIG. 1 (SEQ. ID. NO: 2). The ordinarily skilled artisan, with the aknowledge of the degeneracy of the genetic code, can determine DNA and RNA sequences that encode the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ. ID. NO: 2. Further, the sequence may be selected to optimize expression in a particular host organism by using known preferred codons for the host organism of choice.

In another preferred embodiment, the isolated nucleic acid has the nucleotide sequence set forth in FIG. 1 (SEQ. ID. NO: 1). Contiguous fragments of a nucleic acid having the sequence of SEQ. ID. NO: 1 that maintain the ability to encode a functional lepidopteran OA/TA transporter are also encompassed by the present invention.

The present invention further provides nucleic acids capable of hydridizing under moderate or high stringency conditions to the complement of the nucleic acid of SEQ. ID. NO: 1 and capable of encoding a functional OA/TA transporter. Nucleic acid hydridization conditions are disclosed by Sambrook et al. (1989) Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Press. Moderate stringency conditions are defined herein as about 50° C., 2×SSC, 0.1% SDS. High stringency conditions are defined herein as about 60° C., 0.1×SSC, 0.1% SDS.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides isolated nucleic acids having at least about 80%, and preferably at least about 90%, and more preferably at least about 95%, sequence identity to the nucleic acid of SEQ. ID. NO: 1 wherein said nucleic acids encode a functional OA/TA transporter. Sequence identify is determined using the program Clustal W described by Higgins et al. (1994) Nucleic Acids Res. 22:4673 and may be calculated using the EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database.

The present invention is further directed to vectors comprising the isolated nucleic acids of the present invention. In the vectors of the present invention, the nucleic acid encoding a lepiopteran OA/TA transporter is operably linked to suitable transcriptional and/or translational regulatory elements to effect expression of the OA/TA transporter in a suitable host cell. The regulatory elements may be derived from mammalian, microbial, viral or insect genes, and include, for example, promoters, enhancers, transcription and translation initiation sequences, termination sequences, origins of replication, and sequences encoding leader and transport sequences. Suitable regulatory elements are selected for optimal expression in a desired host cell. Useful expression vectors can be constructed by methods known to one of ordinary skill in the art, and vectors into which the nucleic acid of the invention can be inserted are also commercially available. Recombinant viral vectors, including retrovirus, baculovirus, parvovirus and densovirus vectors are particularly preferred.

In a preferred embodiment the vector comprises a strong constitutive or inducible promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding a lepidopteran OA/TA transporter. Suitable promoters are well known and readily available to one of ordinary skill in the art, and include for example, the polyhedrin promoter (Kitts et al., 1993, BioTechniques, 14:810), heat shock promoter (Stellar et al., 1985, EMBO J., 4:167) and metallothionein promoter (Kaufman et al., 1989, Cell 59:359). Expression vectors can be constructed by well known molecular biological methods as described for example in Sambrook et al. (1989) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., or any of a myriad of laboratory manuals on recombinant DNA technology that are widely available. Expression vectors into which the nucleic acids of the present invention can be cloned under the control of a suitable promoter are also commercially available.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides host cells containing the vectors described above. The host cell may be procaryotic or eukaryotic, including bacterial, yeast, insect or mammalian. Insect and mammalian cells are preferred. Particularly preferred host cells include insect cell lines, including for example Spodoptera frugiperda cells. The host cells may be transformed, transfected or infected with the expression vectors of the present invention by methods well-known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Transfection may be accomplished by known methods, such as lipsome mediated transfection, calcium phosphate mediated transfection, microinjection and electroporation. Permanently transformed insect cell lines are particularly preferred. For example, insect cell lines such as Drosophilia cell line SH1 can be transformed with the expression vectors of the present invention by commercially available lipofectin (GIBCO-BRL) to provide permanently transformed cell lines expressing a functional OA/TA transporter. In a preferred embodiment, the vector is designed such that expression of the transporter is inducible.

Expression systems utilizing baculovirus vectors and insect host cells are also preferred. The use of baculoviruses as recombinant expression vectors to infect lepidopteran insect cells is known in the art and described for example by Luckow et al. (1988) Bio/Technology 6:47-55 and Miller (1988) Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 42:177-199. The baculovirus vectors generally contain a strong baculovirus promoter operably linked to a nucleic acid of the present invention such that the promoter directs expression of the lepidopteran OA/TA transporter. Baculovirus polyhedrin promoters such as the Autographa califomica nuclear polyhedrosis virus polyhedrin promoter are preferred.

The baculovirus expression vectors of the present invention are made by inserting the nucleic acid encoding the lepidopteran OA/TA transporter downstream of the polyhedrin promoter in a baculovirus transfer vector, for example pBacPac8 available from Clontech or Bac-to-Bac available from Life Technologies. Baculovirus transfer vectors further contain flanking baculovirus sequences that allow homologous recombination between the transfer vector and baculovirus DNA during co-transfection. The transfer vector containing the nucleic acid of the invention and viral DNA are used to co-transfect insect cells. In a preferred embodiment the insect cells are Spodoptera. Spodoptera frugiperda cells including Sf9 are particularly contemplated. During co-transfection, homologous recombination results in the transfer of an expression cassette containing the polyhedrin promoter and the nucleic acid of the present invention to the polyhedrin locus of the viral DNA. The resulting recombinant virus is used to generate viral stocks by standard methods. Insect host cells are infected with the recombinant virus to produce insect cells expressing the OA/TA transporter.

The present invention is further directed to recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter. The recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter may be isolated in a membrane preparation or present in the cell membrane of the host cell in which it has been recombinantly produced. Whole cells and membrane preparations comprising the recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter are particularly contemplated. Recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter is useful, for exarnple, to screen potential insecticides by specific binding assays or functional assays.

The present invention further provides a method of making a recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter. Recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter is made by transforming, transfecting or infecting a suitable host cell with an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding a lepidopteran OA/TA transporter, culturing the host cell under conditions suitable for expression, and optionally recovering the recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter. A suitable host cell is any cell in which the nucleic acid encoding the transporter can be expressed to provide a functional OA/TA transporter. In a preferred embodiment, the recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter is made in insect cells, preferably Spodoptera frugiperda 9, by infecting the insect cells with a recombinant virus in which the nucleic acid of the invention is under the control of a polyhedrin promoter, and culturing the cells under conditions suitable for expression of the recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter. In another preferred embodiment, the recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter is made in permanently transformed cell lines as described hereinabove.

A functional OA/TA transporter can be identified by functional assays. For example, host cells expressing a putative recombinant OA/TA transporter are incubated with high Na⁺ saline containing a labeled monoamine substrate and unlabeled or competitive substrate. The substrate is preferably OA or TA, or dopamine (DA), which is structurally similar to OA and TA. The label is preferably a radiolabel. Uptake is stopped by removing the solution and washing the cells with Na⁺ free saline. The label accumulated by the cells is then measured as an indicator of substrate takeup by cells. A functional OA/TA transporter is capable of directing dose dependent uptake of DA, OA and TA into the cell. Uptake of each of these monoamines is competitively inhibited by the others.

The present invention further provides a method of identifying agents that agonize or antagonize the activity of the OA/TA transporter of the present invention. Agent that agonize the activity of the transporter are agents that facilitate the transport of a monoamine, including any of OA, TA and DA, into a cell expressing the transporter. Agents that antagonize the activity of the transporter are agents that inhibit the transport of the monoamine into a cell expressing the transporter. The method comprises contacting, in the presence of Na⁺ ions, an oocyte, cell, or membrane expressing the DA/TA transporter with a putative agent and measuring transport of monoamine, such as OA, TA or DA, into the cell or across the membrane. Transporter activity may be measured by using a detectably labeled monoamine that is transported by the present transporter, such as OA, TA or DA. An increase in transport of the monoamine in the presence of the agent as compared to transport in the absence of the agent is indicative of an agonistic agent. A decrease in transport of the monoamine in the presence of the agent as compared to transport in the absence of the agent is indicative of an antagonistic agent. The agents identified by the present methods are potentially useful as insecticides against lepidoptera.

The present invention further provides an amphibian oocyte comprising a nucleic acid expressing a functional OA/TA transporter, and an amphibian oocyte expressing a functional OA/TA transporter. The oocytes are useful as a system for screening potential insecticides useful against insects of the order lepidoptera. Such oocytes can be made using the nucleic acids of the invention and methods known in the art. In a preferred embodiment, the oocyte is a Xenopus laevis oocyte. For example, expression vectors containing cDNA encoding OA/TA transporter under the control of a strong promoter can be injected into the nuclei of oocytes, after which oocytes are incubated for from one to several days, followed by assessment for presence of functional OA/TA transporter. Alternatively, MRNA can be synthesized in vitro from cDNA encoding the OA/TA transporter, and injected into oocytes, followed by assessment for presence of fuinctional OA/TA transporters as described hereinabove.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a composition comprising a recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter in a cell membrane. The composition may be a membrane preparation, including a freeze dried membrane preparation, or an intact cell or oocyte expressing the functional lepidopteran OA/TA transporter. The composition is useful, for example, to screen for potential insecticides by functional or specific binding assays. The composition may further comprise appropriate carriers or diluents, including, for example, physiological buffers.

The present invention further provides a kit for identifying agonists and antagonists to a lepidopteran OA/TA transporter. The kit contains a first container containing a recombinant lepidopteran OA/TA transporter in a cell membrane. The membrane may be in the form of a membrane preparation, including a freeze dried membrane preparation, or an intact cell or oocyte expressing the functional lepidopteran OA/TA transporter. The kit of the present invention optionally further comprises monoamines known to be transported by the OA/TA transporter. The compositions and kits of the present invention are useful for identifying insecticides.

All references cited herein are incorporated in their entirety.

The following nonlimiting examples serve to fuirther illustrate the present invention.

EXAMPLE 1 MATERIALS AND METHODS RNA Isolation

Different tissues (epidermis, fat body, brain, nerve cord, gonad, Malpighian tubules, midgut, hindgut, rectum, silk gland) from late instar larvae and T.ni adults (optic lobes, flight muscle) were collected, frozen in liquid nitrogen, and stored at −70° C. until use. Total RNA was isolated with TRIzol Reagent (Life Technologies) following manufacturer's instructions. The total RNA isolated from optic lobes was separated from the eye pigments, which co-precipitate with RNA, by spinning the total RNA through a Chroma spin-100, DEPC-H₂O column (Clontech). The RNA recovered from the column was dissolved in diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC)-treated water. RNA was quantified by spectrophotometry and separated on a 1% agarose gel under denaturing conditions to check its integrity before use in RT-PCR or Northern analysis.

PCR Using Degenerate Primers and cDNA from T. ni

The degenerate primers were designed from highly conserved regions found in the Na⁺/Cl⁺ dependent neurotransmitter transporter protein family following the amino acid sequence for mammalian dopamine transporters (DAT1 (SEQ. ID. NO:3) GMPLFYME; DAT2 (SEQ. ID. NO:4): WKGVKTSG; DAT3 (SEQ. ID. NO:5): KVVWITAT) and GABA transporters (GABA1 (SEQ. ID. NO:6): NVWRFPY; GABA2 (SEQ. ID. NO:7): SKWGKWICF) (Shafqat et al., (1993) Mol. Endocrinol. 7:1517). The upstream primers (DAT1 and GABA1) were located outside of the transmembrane (TM) domain 3, while the downstream primers (DAT2, DAT3, GABA2) were located outside of the TM domain 4. The neurotransmitter transporter-like fragments were amplified by PCR from first strand cDNA (2 μl) using various primer combinations: DAT1/ DAT3, DAT1/DAT2, GABA1/DAT3 and DAT1/GABA2. The PCR mix (25 μl) contained: 0.2 mM dNTP's, 2.5 mM MgCl₂, 2 pmoles/μl degenerate primers and 2.5U Taq DNA Polymerase (0.5 μl) (Life Technologies). The amplification was performed using 35 cycles of denaturation at 94° C. for 45 sec, annealing at 55 DC for 45 sec and elongation at 72° C. for 1 min. The denaturation step of the first cycle was 2 min long and the elongation step of the last cycle was 5 min (Perkin Elmer, DNA Thermal Cyler 480) (Sambrook et. al., (1989) Molecular Cloning—A Laboratory Manual. Cold Springs Harbor Laboratory Press. The PCR products were cloned in pCR-Script SK(+) (Stratagene) and several clones from each reaction were sequenced.

Nested Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (nested RACE-PCR)

The nested RACE-PCR was performed using double stranded cDNA ligated into the pBK-CMV vector as the template. Two sets of nested primers, one at each end of the cDNA insert, were designed from the vector sequence. The upstream primers: BKRev (SEQ. ID. NO:8), (5′ACAGGAAACAGCTATGACCTTGAT 3′) and T3+(SEQ. ID. NO:9) (5′CCTCACTAAAGGGAACAAAAGCTG 3′), flanked the cDNA at its 5′ end while the downstream primers: BKFor(SEQ. ID. NO:10)(5′GTAAAACGACGGCCAGTGAATTGT3′) and T7+(SEQ. ID. NO:11) (5′ACGACTCACTATAGGGCGAATTGG3′), flanked the 3′ end of the cDNA. Two other sets of nested unique primers were designed from a 481 bp DNA fragment amplified in a previous PCR with degenerate primers. These were: For1 (SEQ. ID. NO:12) (5′ACCACTTT CCGGAGCTCTTGAC3′)(SEQ. ID. NO:13) and For2(5′CTTTGAACAGCGACAGGTAG AGAG3′) facing upstream and Rev1 (SEQ. ID. NO:4)(5′ACATGGAGCT TATCTTCGGACAGT3′) and Rev2 (SEQ. ID. NO:15) (5′AGGGACCGATCACGCTCTGGAAG3′) facing downstream. The first half of the cDNA containing the 5′ end was amplified using BKRev and For1 primers and cDNA (0.5 μl) in the first round. The products amplified (1 μl out of 50 μl) were used as template for the nested PCR with T3+ and For2 primers. A similar approach was used to amplify the second half of the sequence, at the 3′ end of the cDNA using, BKFor and Rev1 in the first reaction, and T7+ and Rev2 in the nested reaction. The PCRs were performed with high fidelity DNA polymerase, a mixture of Taq and Pwo DNA polymerases from the Expand Long Template PCR System (Boehringer Mannheim). The PCR mix contained: 0.4 pmoles primers, 3 mM MgCl₂, 350 μM dNTP's, 2.5U (0.75 μl) enzyme in 1×buffer 3. The number of cycles for both rounds of amplification were 22 of denaturation at 94° C. for 45 sec, annealing at 65° C. for 45 sec. The elongation was done at 68° C. for 3 min 30 sec of the first 10 cycles and the elongation time increased with 20 sec per cycle for the last 12 cycles. The denaturation step of the first cycle was 2 min and the elongation step of the last cycle was 15 min (Perkin Elmer, DNA Thermal Cycler 480) (Sambrook et. al., 1989).

Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)

First strand cDNA was synthesized from 3 μg total RNA isolated from: epidermis, fat body, brain, nerve cord, optic lobes, gonad, flight muscle, Malpighian tubules, midgut, hindgut, rectum and silk gland using Superscript II Reverse Transcriptase in the presence of 150 ng random primers, 500 μM dNTP's, 10 mM DTT and 1× first strand buffer (Life Technologies) for 10 min at 25° C. followed by 50 min at 42° C. Two al of the cDNA synthesized was used as template for PCR amplification. The cDNA of interest originating from the OA/TAT mRNA was amplified by two unique primers (3 Utr/ Rev6) (FIG. 2). The pair of primers used was selected so it would amplify different size products from cDNA versus genomic DNA (which is present as contaminant from RNA isolation). Different pairs of primers were first checked on genomic DNA to ensure that the primers encounter an intron. The PCR mix contained: 0.2 mM dNTP's, 2 mM MgCl₂, 0.3 pmoles primers and 2.5 U Platinum Taq DNA Polymerase (Life Technologies)/ 50 μl reaction. The PCR was performed using 35 cycles of denaturation at 94° C. for 30 sec, annealing at 62° C. for 30 sec and elongation at 72° C. for 50 sec. The denaturation step of the first cycle was 3 min long and the elongation step of the last cycle was 5 min (Gene Amp, PCR System 9700). One fifth of the PCR reaction (10 μl) was separated on a 1.2% agarose gel and the DNA fragments were detected by ethidium bromide staining (1 μg/ ml ddH₂O) for 20 min, followed by 20 min destaining in ddH₂O.

To ensure that the cDNA synthesis as well as the PCR amplification was comparable in all the samples a ubiquitously expressed transcript, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) was amplified from all the samples. Two unique primers were designed from the cDNA encoding G3PDH to amplify specific products. The downstream primer ( 5′CTTGTTTCTACATAAATTTATTCC 3′)(SEQ. ID. NO:16) and the upstream primer (5′AACAACATTTATCTCTACACTGCTA 3′)(SEQ. ID. NO:17) were located in the 5′ UTR and the 3′UTR, respectively. The internal control using the G3PDH primers was performed under the same conditions as those used for the samples, except the annealing temperature and elongation time were 58° C. and 2 min respectively.

Southern Analysis

The genomic DNA isolated from late instar T.ni larvae was digested (15 g genomic DNA/reaction) with six different restriction enzymes (PstI, BamHI, XhoI, KpnI, BglII, SalI), ethanol precipitated and resolved on 0.8% agarose gel by electrophoresis (1.75V/cm). The restriction fragments distribution was detected by ethidium bromide staining (1 g/ml in ddH₂O, 20 min.) and destaining (ddH₂O, 20 min). The DNA fragments were denatured by soaking the gel for 3 times for 15 min each in denaturing solution (1.5 M NaCl, 0.5 M NaOH) and neutralized it by soaking it twice for 30 min each time in neutralizing solution (1.5 M NaCl, 1M Tris pH 7.4). The genomic DNA was then transferred by capillary action (20×SSC 3 M NaCl, 0.3 M sodium citrate) to a Hybond-N nylon membrane (Amersham) and UV cross-linked to the membrane (CL-100 Ultraviolet Crosslinker, UVP). The blot was hybridized with a 800 bp DNA fragment previously amplify by PCR from genomic DNA using Rev7 and 3′UTR primers and labeled using random oligomers and [α-³² P]dCTP (Amersham). The PCR mix used to amplify the 800 bp fragment contained: 0.2 mM dNTP's, 2 mM MgCl₂, 0.3 pmoles primers and 2.5 U Taq DNA Polymerase (Life Technologies)/ 25 μl reaction. The amplification was performed using 35 cycles of denaturation at 94° C. for 30 sec, annealing at 62° C. for 30 sec and 50 sec elongation time. The denaturation step of the first cycle was 3 min and the elongation step of the last cycle was 5 min (Gene Amp, PCR System 9700). The DNA fragment used as probe did not contain any of the six restriction sites used to digest the genomic DNA. Hybridization of the membrane was done in QuikHyb Rapid Hybridization Solution (Stratagene) with 2×10⁶ dpm/ml ³² P-labeled probe at 65° C. for 3 hours. The membrane was washed twice for 15 minutes in low stringency conditions (2×SSC/0.1% SDS, room temperature) and once for 30 minutes in high stringency conditions (0.1×SSC/0.1% SDS, 60° C.) (Sambrook et. al., 1989). Lambda phage cut with HindIII was run as a marker on the gel and later hybridized as above with ³²p labeled λ DNA for detection.

Northern Analysis

Total RNA (15 μg) isolated from different tissues (see RNA isolation) was resolved on a 1% agarose gel in the presence of 6.5% formaldehyde (1.5 V/cm), transferred to Hybond-N+nylon membrane (Amersham) through capillary transfer (20×SSC) and UV cross-linked to the membrane. The RNA blot was then probed with a 2.2 kb DNA fragment encoding the open reading frame of OA/TAT. The 2.2 kb DNA fragment was amplified by PCR with 5′UTR and 3′UTR primers from cDNA (see 2.1 Cloning the OA/TAT cDNA into baculovirus) and labeled with [α-³²P]dCTP using random oligomers (Amersham). The hybridization was done in QuikHyb Rapid Hybridization Solution (Stratagene) with 2×10⁶ dpm/ml probe at 65° C. for 3 hours. After hybridization the membrane was washed twice for 15 min each in low stringency conditions (2×SSC/0.1% SDS, at room temperature) and once for 30 min in high stringency conditions (0.1×SSC/0.1% SDS, at 60° C.) (Sambrook et. al., 1989). A 0.24-9.5 kb RNA ladder (5 μg) (Life Technologies) was run along with the RNA samples and hybridized with ³²p-labeled λDNA using the same conditions as above. The integrity and the concentration of the RNA on the membrane was checked by probing it with a DNA fragment encoding the 3′ end of the G3PDH cDNA. The G3PDH fragment (550 bp) was amplified from cDNA using the downstream primer 5′ AACAACATTTATCTCTACACTGCTA 3′(SEQ. ID. NO:18) and the upstream primer 5′ GGCCAAGGTCATCCATGACAACTT 3′(SEQ. ID. NO:19). The PCR inix used contained: 2 mM dNTP's, 2 mM MgCl₂, 0.3 pmoles/μl primers, 0.35 μl cDNA and 2.5 U Taq DNA Polymerase in 1×buffer (Life Technologies). The PCR was performed using 37 cycles of denaturation at 94° C. for 30 sec, annealing at 62° C. for 30 sec and elongation 72° C. for 1 min 20sec. The denaturation step of the first cycle was 3 min long and the elongation step of the last cycle was 5 min (Gene Amp, PCR System 9700). The G3PDH DNA fragment was labeled using random oligomers, [α-³²P]dCTP and used for hybridization as previously described.

Sequencing Procedure

The nested RACE-PCR products were cloned in the pGEM-T Easy Vector (Promega), producing the plasmids pGEM-T1298 for the 5′ end fragment and pGEM-T1620 for the 3′ end. Each of the two fragments were sequenced on one strand and the sequences used to design two unique primers that amplified the full open reading frame of the cDNA: 5′UTR-BamHI(SEQ. ID. NO:20)(5′ GCGGATCCACGCACAGGACCATGAGAC 3′) and 3′UTR-KpnI(SEQ. ID. NO:21) 5′ CGGGTACCGAAGCGCCTATTTCTGACT 3′. BamHI and KpnI represent the two restriction sites built into the primers. Using 5′Utr-BamHI and 3′Utr-KpnI primers with first strand cDNA the full open reading frame was amplified as one piece. A high fidelity enzyme mixture of Taq and Pwo DNA polymerases: (Expand Long Template PCR System-Boehringer Mannheim) was used to minimize incorporation errors (see Cloning the OA/TAT cDNA into baculovirus). This DNA fragment encoding the whole ORF was cloned into the pGEM-T Easy Vector producing the plasmind pGEM-T2204 using the BamHI and KpnI restriction sites. pGEM-T2204 was used for sequencing the ORF of OA/TAT cDNA on both strands. The sequencing approach used was one of walking along the sequence using multiple primers and then overlapping the sequences. The 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions were sequenced on both strands from pGEM-T1298 and pGEM-T1620.

BLAST Search

BLAST search and amino acid sequence comparison (Lasergene, software package) were used to identify neurotransmitter transporter-like fragments from the PCR products amplified with degenerate primers or the PCR products obtained from nested RACE-PCR. BLAST was also used to determine the orientation and the position of the amplified products compared to the entire.cDNA-sequence.

CONSTRUCTING THE RECOMBINANT BACULOVIRUS CONTAINING OCTOPAMINE/TYRAMINE TRANSPORTER cDNA Cloning the OA/TAT cDNA into Baculovirus

The cDNA fragment (2204 bp) encoding the complete open reading frame of OA/TAT was amplified by PCR from first strand cDNA using two unique primers: 5′UTR-BamHI, 3′UTR-KpnI (FIG. 2). The PCR mix contained: 1.5 μl first strand cDNA, 0.3 pmoles primers, 3 mM MgCl₂, 350 μM dNTP's, 2.5 U (0.75 μl) enzyme mix (Taq and Pwo DNA polymerases) in 1×buffer 3 (Expand Long Template PCR System; Boehringer Mannheim). The PCR amplification was performed using 37 cycles of denaturation at 94° C. for 30 sec, annealing at 65° C. for 30 sec and elongation at 68° C. for 2 min 10 sec of the first 10 cycles and for the last 27 cycles the elongation increased with 20 sec per cycle. The denaturation step of the first cycle was 2 min 30 sec and the elongation time of the last cycle was 15 min long (Gene Amp, PCR System 9700). The restriction enzyme sites built into the primers (BamHI, KpnI) and subsequently into the cDNA fragment were used to clone it into the pFastBac1 transfer vector under the control of the polyhedrin promoter (Life Technologies). pFastBac1 also contains a mini-Tn7 transposable element used to transpose the foreign gene to the mini-attTn7 attachment site on a baculovirus shuttle vector (bacmid). The transposition requires the presence of a helper plasmid (pMON7124) already present in the DH-10 Bac E.coli cell line (Life Technologies). The successful transposition disrupts the lacZα gene present in the bacmid giving blue-white color selection. Individual colonies containing the recombinant bacmid were grown and the bacmid isolated through a high molecular weight DNA method (Bac-to-Bac manual, Life Technologies).

The bacmid DNA was then used to transfect Sf9 insect cells, and recombinant baculovirus particles collected in the cell supernatant .

Transfection of Sf9 Cells with Recombinant Baculovirus

Sf21 cells were plated at 9×10⁵ cells/well in a 6-well plate, one hour prior to transfection (2 ml TC-100) (Life Technologies). The transfection mixture (5 μl bacmid diluted in 100 μl serum and antibiotics-free TC-100 medium mixed with 6 μl CellFectin Reagent diluted in 100 μl serum and antibiotics-free TC-100) was incubated at room temperature for 30 min. After the incubation, 0.8 ml serum and antibiotics-free TC-100 was added to the transfection mixture and overlaid onto the cells previously washed with serum and antibiotics-free TC-100. The cells and the transfection mixture were incubated for 5 hours at 27° C. Then, the transfection mixture was removed and replaced with 2 ml of fresh TC-100. The cells were incubated for 72 hours at 27° C. The medium containing the virus was collected, centrifuged for 10 min at 500 g to remove the floating cells and stored at 4° C., in the dark with 12% FBS.

Viral Plaque Assay and Virus Amplification

The virus collected from the transfection was first titered via plaque assay and then amplified. For the plaque assay, 4×10⁵ Sf9 cells/well were plated in a 6-well plate and left to adhere overnight at 27° C. Serial dilutions (10⁻² to 10⁻⁶ or 10⁻⁷) of the viral stock were made in 1 ml Grace's Medium and added to the cells after the old medium was removed. During the viral infection the virus was mixed every 10-15 min for 1 hour. Then, the virus containing medium was removed and the cells were covered with 3 ml/ well plaquing overlay (0.5% agarose in Grace's Medium) equilibrated at 42° C. Once the overlay solidified, the plates were incubated in a high humidity atmosphere at 27° C. until the individual plaques formed (10-14 days). The titer expressed in pfu/ml, was calculated from the number of plaques formed at a particular dilution.

The virus collected from the transfection was amplified in Sf9. First, Sf9 cells seeded at 2-4×10⁵ cells/ml density in T25 flasks were incubated at 27° C. until they reached 60-70% confluence. Then, the medium was removed and replaced with 1 ml fresh medium containing the necessary virus to give a Multiplicity of Infection (MOI) of 0.1 to 1. The virus overlaying the cells was mixed every 10-15 min for 1.5 hours and then 9 ml of fresh medium was added to the flask and the cells were incubated at 27° C. for 72 hours. The virus was harvested as described above (see Transfection of Sf9 with recombinant baculovirus).

EXPRESSION STUDIES OF OCTOPAMINE/TYRAMINE TRANSPORTER IN INSECT CELLS Viral Infection

The optimal infection conditions for Sf21 cells were determined by varying the MOI (0.5; 1; 1.5; 2) and the number of cells seeded per well (1×10⁵; 1.5×10⁵; 2×10⁵). The best working combination was 2×10⁵ cells/well infected at a MOI of 0.5. Twelve hours prior to infection the Sf21 cells were seeded in a 12-well plate at a density of 2×10⁵ cells/well. The next day, the old medium was removed and the cells were covered with 500 μl medium containing 22.2 μl viral stock (0.9×10⁷ pfu/ml). The virus was mixed every 10-15 min for 1 hour and then another 1 ml of fresh medium was added to the well. The cells were assayed for transport activity 44-48 hours post-infection.

Transport Assays

The insect cells expressing OA/TAT were assayed for protein activity 44-48 hours post-infection. The medium was removed from the cells and each well was washed with one volume (1 ml) of physiological saline (MgCl₂ 11.2 mM, MgSO₄ 11.2 mM, NaCl 53.5 mM, NaH₂PO₄ 7.3 mM, KCl 55.0 mM and sucrose 76.8 mM) and incubated for an hour in a second volume of physiological saline. The physiological saline was then removed and the cells were washed once with high Na⁺ saline (1 ml) (MgCl₂ 11.2 mM, MgSO₄ 11.2 mM, NaCl 92.7 mM, NaH₂PO₄ 7.3 mM and K-gluconate 55 mM). Then, the cells were exposed to 500 μl high Na⁺ saline containing 0.3 μM ³H-dopamine (5 or 6 μl of ³H-dopamine with specific activity of 33.8 or 40.0 Ci/mmol, equivalent to 30.3 or 25 nmol dopamine/ml, respectively) (NEN Life Sciences Products, Inc.). The 500 μl solution also contained unlabeled DA or competitive substrate/ inhibitor as required by each experiment. The cells were exposed to these solutions for 3 min. The uptake was stopped by removing the radio-labeled solution and then washing the cells three times (2 ml/well/wash) with Na⁺ free saline. The plate was air dried and the radio-label (³H-DA) accumulated by the cells was extracted for 1 hour with 500 μl 70% ethanol, on a gyratory shaker. An aliquot of 400 μl was then removed from each well, added to 10 ml scintillation fluid (Ready Safe, Beckman) and the radioactivity counted. All washes and incubations were done at 26-27° C. All the solutions containing amines were made with ice cold salines and kept on ice until 5 min before use, when they were warmed to 27-28° C.

The concentration of the ³H labeled dopamine was checked by HPLC with electrochemical detection and found to be the concentration claimed by the company (30.3 nmol/ml).

Neither ³H-labeled octopamine (OA) nor tyramine (TA) is commercially available. Because dopamine (DA) is structurally similar to OA and TA and commercially available at a reasonable price (NEN Life Sciences Products, Inc.), ³H-DA was used as OA/TAT's substrate for all expression and pharmacological studies.

Determining the K_(m) for Dopamine (DA)

In order to determine the K_(m) for DA its concentration per well was increased from 0.1 μM to 20 μM (0.1; 0.2; 0.3; 0.6; 0.8; 1; 2; 4; 6; 8; 10; 20). The first two wells were dosed with 1.67 μl (0.1 μM ) and 3.34 μl (0.2 μM) ³H-DA, respectively. The rest of the wells were dosed with 5-6 11 ³H-DA (0.3 μM) plus unlabeled DA to give the concentrations listed above. The data were graphed and analyzed using Sigma Plot graphing program. The substrate K_(m) and the V_(max) were determined by nonlinear least-squares fits (Sigma Plot) using the equation y=a*x/b+x or its equivalent V=V_(max)*[S]/K_(m)+[S] in which y, v=transport velocity, a, V_(max)=maximal velocity, x,[S]=substrate concentration, b, K_(m)=Michaelis-Menten constant.

Competitive Inhibition Studies

The inhibition curves for TA, OA and norepinephrine (NE) were determined using different concentration ranges. The concentration range of unlabeled TA, OA was from 0.1 to 20 μM and the concentration range for NE was from 5 to 100 μM. TA's concentration was: 0.1; 0.2; 0.3; 0.5; 0.75; 1.0; 1.5; 2.5; 5.0; 10.0; 20.0 μM. OA's concentration was 0.1; 0.2; 0.3; 0.6; 1.0; 2.0; 4.0; 6.0; 8.0; 10.0; 20.0 μM and NE's concentration was: 2.0; 5.0; 10.0; 15.0; 20.0; 25.0; 30.0; 40.0; 60.0; 80.0; 100.0 μM. The uptake of ³H-DA (0.3 μM) in the presence of the unlabeled monoamines was determined as mentioned above (Transport Assay). Other naturally occurring biogenic amines or their metabolites (epinephrine, synephrine, serotonin, histamine, tryptamine, 2-phenylethylamine, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine) and potential competitive inhibitors (imipramine, desipramine, nomifensine, GRB12909, riluzole, chlorpromazine) were tested at 10 μM except riluzole (100 μM). The IC₅₀ (concentration of inhibitor producing 50% inhibition) values were determined from individual Hill plots (double logarithmic scale of concentration of inhibitor against I/I_(max)−I where I is inhibition and I_(max) is maximal inhibition). The K_(i) (inhibition constant) values were calculated based on Cheng and Prusoff's prediction (Cheng and Prusoff, 1973) using the equation: IC₅₀=K_(i) (1+[S]/K_(m) where [S] is substrate concentration, K_(m)=Michaelis-Menten constant for the substrate.

Na⁺, Cl⁻ Substitution

To determine the cation requirements of OA/TAT, Na⁺(100 mM) ions were replaced with following monovalent cations: K⁺, Li⁺, choline⁺ or NMG⁺ [100 mM] the ionic composition of the salines are as follows:

CATION REPLACEMENT SALINES

Total [anion] 177.4 mM

[Na⁺] or its [substituted cation] 100 mM

Osmotic pressure 355 mOsm

Saline type Salt Concentration (mM) CONTROL SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 NaCl 92.7 NaH₂PO₄(H₂O) 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0 CHOLINE SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 Choline chloride 92.7 KH₂PO₄ 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0 LITHIUM SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 LiCl 92.7 KH₂PO₄ 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0 NMG SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 NMG 92.7 KH₂PO₄ 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0 POTASSIUM SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 KCl 92.7 KH₂PO₄ 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0

Similarly, to determine anion requirements of OA/TAT, Cl⁻(92.7 mM) ions were substituted with following anions: gluconate, citrate, iodide, bromide, nitrate, aspartate, phosphate, sulfate, carbonate and glutamate. The first set of salines maintained the concentration of the anion tested at 92.7 mM while the second set of salines contained variable anion concentration (50 to 100 mM).

Composition of the multiple-anion salines used in Cl⁻ substitution experiments were as follows.

B. ANION REPLACEMENT SALINES

1. Multiple-anion salines containing 92.7 mM Cl⁻ or its substituted anion

Total [anion] 177.4 mM

Osmotic pressure 355 mOsm

Saline type Salt Concentration (mM) CONTROL SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 NaCl 92.7 NaH₂PO₄(H₂O) 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0 ASPARTATE SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 Sodium aspartate 92.7 NaH₂PO₄(H₂O) 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0 BROMIDE SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 NaBr 92.7 NaH₂PO₄(H₂O) 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0 ClTRATE SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 Sodium citrate (H₂O) 92.7 NaH₂PO₄(H₂O) 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0 GLUCONATE SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 Sodium gluconate 92.7 NaH₂PO₄(H₂O) 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0 GLUTAMATE SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 NaH₂PO₄ 7.3 Sodium glutamate 92.7 Sucrose 55.0 ‘SUCROSE SALINE’ MgSO₄ 7.2 Na₂HPO₄ 7.3 Na₂SO₄ 15.2 Sodium glutamate 55.0 Sucrose 92.7 IODIDE SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 NaI 92.7 NaH₂PO₄(H₂O) 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0 NITRATE SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 NaNO₃ 92.7 NaH₂PO₄(H₂O) 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0 PHOSPHATE SALINE Na₂HPO₄ 50.0 KH₂PO₄ 42.7 Magnesium gluconate 55.0 SULPHATE SALINE MgSO₄ 42.7 Na₂SO₄ 50.0 Potassium glutamate 55.0

All these salines were designed to have a major sodium salt containing Cl⁻ or the anion substituting for Cl⁻. To bring the total anion concentration of the salines to 177.4 mM, all salines except the glutamate, sulphate, phosphate salines contained: MgSO₄ (22.4 mM), NaH₂PO₄ or KH₂PO₄ (7.3 mM) and K-glutamate (55 mM). The glutamate saline contained sucrose (55 mM) instead of K-glutamate, the sulphate saline contained Na₂SO4 (50 mM), MgSO4 (42.7 mM) and the phosphate saline contained two phosphate salts (Na₂HPO₄:50 mM, KH₂PO₄:42.7 mM) and Mg-gluconate (55 mM) instead of K-glutamate. The saline used to determine the uptake background levels caused by the presence of low levels of sulfate, phosphate and glutamate in all salines described above contained: MgSO₄ (22.4 mM), Na₂HPO₄ (7.3 mM), Na₂SO₄ (15.2 mM), K-glutamate (55 mM) (‘sucrose saline’). The pHs of all these salines were adjusted to 7 with KOH. The osmotic pressure of all these salines was brought to 350 mOsm with sucrose.

Composition of the single-anion salines used in Cl⁻ substitution experiments were as follows:

2. Single-anion salines containing 50-100 mM Cl⁻ or its substituted anion

Osmotic pressure 350 mOsm

Saline type Salt Concentration (mM) CONTROL SALINE MgSO₄ 22.4 NaCl 92.7 NaH₂PO₄(H₂O) 7.3 Potassium glutamate 55.0 Cl⁻(100 mM) SALINE NaCl 100.0 Sucrose 150.0 NO₃ ⁻(100 mM) SALINE NaNO₃ 100.0 Sucrose 150.0 SO₄ ²⁻(50 mM) SALINE Na₂SO₄ 50.0 Sucrose 200.0 SO₄ ²⁻(75 mM) SALINE Na₂SO₄ 50.0 MgSO₄ 25.0 Sucrose 150.0 H₂PO₄ ⁻/HPO₄ ²⁻(50 mM) Na₂HPO₄ 50.0 SALINE Sucrose 200.0 H₂PO₄ ⁻/HPO₄ ²⁻(75 mM) Na₂HPO₄ 25.0 SALINE NaH₂PO₄(H₂O) 50.0 Sucrose 175.0 HCO₃ ²⁻/CO₃ ²⁻(50 mM) Na₂CO₃ 50.0 SALINE Sucrose 200.0 HCO₃ ²⁻/CO₃ ²⁻(75 mM) Na₂CO₃ 25.0 SALINE NaHCO₃ 50.0 Sucrose 175.0 GLUTAMATE SALINE Sodium glutamate 100.0 Sucrose 150.0 GLUCONATE SALINE Sodium gluconate 100.0 Sucrose 150.0

All these salines contained only Cl⁻ or a single type anion substituting for Cl⁻, all as sodium salts. The anion concentrations of salines in this set were: Cl⁻(100 mM); NO₃ ⁻(100 mM); SO₄ ²⁻(50 mM, 75 mM); HPO₄ ²⁻/H₂PO₄ ⁻(50 mM, 75 mM); CO₃ ²⁻/ HCO₃ ⁻(50 mM, 75 mM); glutamate⁻ (100 mM); gluconate⁻(100 mM). The pHs were adjusted to 7 with KOH, H₃PO₄ or CO₂. The osmotic pressure of all these salines was brought to 350 mOsm with sucrose.

Chemicals Used in Kinetic and Pharmacological Studies

Chemicals were obtained from (supplier: chemical [catalogue#]): Research Biochemicals Incorporated (RBI) Natick, Mass. 01760: Nomifensine [N-123]; Sigma-Aldrich, St.Louis, Mo. 63178-9916: (−)-Arterenol ([−]-Norepinephrine) [A-9512], Desipramine [D-3900], (−)-ψ-Ephedrine [E-9626], Histamine [H-7250], 5-Hydroxytryptamine (Serotonin) [H-9523], 3-Hydroxytyramine (Dopamine) [H-8502], Imipramine [1-7379], DL-Octopamine [0-0250], β-Phenylethylamine [P-6513], (±)-Synephrine [S-0752], Tryptamine [T-9628], Tyramine [T-2879]; Tocris Cookson Ballwin, Mo. 63011: GBR 12909[0421]; Mann Research Laboratories: Ephedrine; NEN Life Science Products, Inc. Boston, Mass. 02118: Dihydroxyphenylethylamine, 3,4-[7-³H]-(³H-dopamine) [NET-131] at a radioactive concetration of 1.0 mCi/ml and specific activity of 30.8 and 40.0 Ci/mmol.

EXAMPLE 2 MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF THE OCTOPAMINE/TYRAMINE TRANSPORTER

As a first step in cloning monoamine transporters, five degenerate primers (two upstream: DAT1, GABA1 and three downstream: DAT2, DAT3, GABA2) were designed from highly conserved regions of the Na⁺/Cl⁻ dependent neurotransmitter transporter family of proteins (Shafqat et al.,(1993) Mol. Endocrinol. 7:1517), following the amino acid sequence of dopamine transporters (DAT primers) or GABA transporters (GABA primers). The primers were designed to amplify the region in between the third transmembrane (TM) domain and fourth TM domain. The first strand cDNA synthesized with random hexamers from total head RNA was used as template for PCR. GABA1/DAT3 primers amplified a 612 bp DNA fragment that shares up to 45% identity to other cloned serotonin transporters (SERTs). DAT1/DAT3 primers amplified a 481 bp DNA fragment that shares up to 37% and 40% identity to the mammalian norepinephrine transporters (NETs) and dopamine transporters (DATs), respectively. DAT1/DAT2 primers amplified a 450 bp DNA fragment that shares up to 20% identity to other SERTs. The two SERT-like fragments (612 bp and 450 bp) do not share any significant similarity suggesting that they are either part of different transporters or the primers amplified different parts of the same protein. DAT1/GABA2 primers did not amplify any relevant fragments.

Two of the fragments described above (612 and 481 bp fragments) were used as probes in library screening. The 612 bp SERT-like fragment was used to screen 4.5×10⁵ phages from an amplified T. ni head cDNA library and 5×10⁵ phages from a similar primary library. The 481 bp NET-like fragment was used to screen 5×10⁵ phages from the same amplified library. Neither one of the probes yielded any positive clones suggesting that the frequency of the cDNAs encoding for monoamine transporters was extremely low in the cDNA library. Therefore an alternative method was utilized for subsequent library screening which is based on PCR detection of target sequences in ordered arrays of library aliquots Israel (1995) supra. Each of the DNA fragments described above was identified and traced via PCR screening up to tertiary screening for 450 bp SERT-like fragment, secondary screening for 612 bp SERT-like fragment and primary screening for 481 bp NET-like fragment. Contrary to the expectation of the phage number containing the monoamine transporter cDNAs increasing, their number decreased with the number of passages. Therefore, the PCR screening results suggest that the phage containing the monoamine transporters have replicative disadvantages compared to the rest of the phages in the library. Most screening techniques are based one way or another on increasing the number of phages through replication steps. The only approach that does not involve phage replication is the RT-PCR based approach where cDNA obtained by reverse transcription from mRNA is used as template for PCR. With this approach the cDNAs encoding monoamine transporters is found at the same relative levels as their transcripts.

Cloning a cDNA That Encodes an Octopamine/Tyramine Transporter

Due to the low copy number and the defective replicative properties of the phages containing monoamine transporter cDNAs suggested by the results of previous screening techniques, RT-PCR based approach was used. Based on the known sequence of the 481 bp fragment, two sets of nested primers were designed to amplify the whole cDNA through a nested-RACE PCR approach. The primers were designed so that the products from both directions would overlap on the known 481 bp DNA fragment. To ensure that the nested-RACE PCR products contained the 481 bp sequence and therefore were part of the same cDNA, the nested-RACE PCR products were transferred to a Hybond N nylon membrane and probed with ³²P-labeled 481 bp fragment. Two DNA fragments, one of 1620 bp at the 3′ end and the other of 1298 bp at the 5′ end of the cDNA were amplified and hybridized with the 481 bp fragment. They were both cloned and sequenced. The resulting plasmids are designated pGEM-T1298 and pGEM-T1620. BLAST search and amino acid comparison on the sequences reconfirmed the identity of the two pieces as being part of a cDNA encoding a NET-like transporter. Two unique primers flanking the ORF were designed to amplify the entire ORF of the cDNA in one piece (pGEM-T2204).

Characterization of Octopamine/Tyramine Transporter cDNA and its Gene Copy Number

The sequence of 2504 bp cDNA amplified by PCR was analyzed and a single large ORF of 2013 bp was found which encodes a potential 670 amino acid protein. Of three potential start sites downstream of an in-frame stop codon at position −257 (FIG. 1, SEQ. ID. NO: 1), the translational start shown at position I was predicted on the basis of a good agreement between the sequence context of this site and the consensus sequence for the initiation of translation predicted by Kozak, (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15:8125. The same start codon was also predicted when the OA/TAT cDNA sequence was analyzed using the ‘Signal’ utility within the PC/GENE sequence analysis program (IntelliGenetics,Inc.). The stop codon (TAA) is followed by a polyadenylation site (AATAAA) and a poly (A⁺) tail. Southern blot analysis showed a single hybridizing band for each of the restriction enzymes used. The digested genomic DNA bound the ³²P-labeled 800 bp intron-exon fragment as follows: PstI 6.2 kb; BamHI 14.5 kb; XhoI 12.5 kb; KpnI 14 kb; BglII 3.8 kb; SalI 14.8 kb.

Characterization of Octopamine/Tyramine Transporter Protein

The deduced amino acid sequence from the OA/TAT cDNA sequence (FIG. 1, SEQ. ID. NO: 2) indicates an ORF of 670 amino acids constituting a protein of 74,645 Da molecular weight (DNA Star Software). Hydrophobicity analysis of the amino acid sequence suggests the presence of 12 potential transmembrane helices. The lack of an identifiable signal sequence suggests that both NH²⁻ and —COOH terminals are located on the cytoplasmic face.

The deduced amino acid sequence of OA/TAT shares up to 51% identity to the cloned mammalian monoamine transporters as determined by Clustal W-mp Multiple Sequence Alignment described by Higgins et al. (1994) Nucleic Acids Res 22:4673. Among those that share the highest degree of identity with OA/TAT, are: mouse NET (50.4%), human DAT (49.8%), frog ET (49.5%) and mouse SERT (45.4%). The most conserved regions are the TM domains while the most variable ones are at the NH₃ ⁺ terminal. The amino acid sequence also reveals possible function/regulation sites or motifs as follows: a heptan leucine zipper motif (L-x(6)-L-x(6)-L-x(6)-L) present in the second TM (AA143 to AA164); two N-glycosylation sites (N-{P}-[ST]-{P}) on the second large extracellular loop (N240, N243) and phosphorylation sites for three different enzymes. The phosphorylation sites for protein kinase C (PKC)([ST]-x-[RK]) are: S39, T51, S59, S95 in the NH²⁻ terminal region, S308 between TM domain 4 and TM domain 5 and T635, S663 on the COO— terninal end. There is one tyrosine kinase (TyrK) phosphorylation site ([RK]-x(2,3)-[DE]-x(2,3)-Y): Y38 on NH²⁻ terminal and one cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAMP PK) phosphorylation site ([RK](2)-x-[ST]: S551 between TM domain 10 and TM domain 11. In the above consensus patterns, the symbols represent: { } residues not allowed, x all residues allowed, [ ] residues allowed and the bold residue is the site itself. Based on the model predicting both amino and carboxy termini located on the inside of the membrane, all the phosphorylation sites indicated above would be present inside the cell and all the glycosylation sites would be found on extracellular loops.

Tissue Distribution of Octopamine/Tyramine Transporter mRNA

Distribution of the OA/TAT mRNA was evaluated by both Northern analysis and RT-PCR analysis from total RNA isolated from three neural tissues (brain, ventral nerve cord, optic lobes) and nine non-neural tissues (fat body, epidermis, silk gland, gonad, flight muscle, Malpighian tubules, midgut, hindgut, rectum). Northern analysis shows the presence of OA/TAT transcripts in optic lobes tissue. The optic lobes lane contains two different size RNAs: 7.65 kb and 5.25 kb, complementary to the OA/TAT cDNA. A G3PDH cDNA fragment used to assess the integrity of RNA loaded on each lane, binds to one massive band or two very similar in size, of approximately 1.44 kb. The results show the integrity of the resolved RNA is good in each of the lanes.

To confirm and potentially extend the information revealed by the Northern blot analysis, the tissue distribution of OA/TAT mRNA was studied by RT-PCR, a more sensitive technique than Northern analysis. RT-PCR was done using the same RNA samples as used for Northern blot analysis, so the results could be compared. The cDNA encoding for OA/TAT was amplified by PCR using two OA/TAT cDNA sequence specific primers. The OA/TAT cDNA and implicitly the OA/TAT transcripts were present in all three neural tissues: optic lobes, brain and ventral nerve cord. The flight muscle showed the presence of the message but in a lower amount. A much lower level of expression was found in: hindgut, silk gland, rectum, midgut and gonad. The 800 bp fragments represent the OA/TAT message amplified from cDNA and the 3 kb fragments represent the OA/TAT message amplified from genomic DNA present as a contaminant in RNA samples. In a similar way two different size products can be detected when two specific G3PDH primers were used. Detection of the G3PDH cDNA, a ubiquitous transcript served as an internal control for cDNA synthesis and PCR amplification. The 950 bp band is the G3PDH fragment amplified from cDNA and the weak band of 2.5 kb seen only in the RNA lane was amplified from the genomic DNA.

EXAMPLE 3 EXPRESSION AND PHARMACOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF OCTOPAMINE/TYRAMINE TRANSPORTER Expression Studies of the Cloned Octopamine/Tyramine Transporter cDNA

For functional characterization of the OA/TAT protein, a complete copy of the OA/TAT ORF was assembled in one construct so that the resulting protein product could be expressed. To do so, the two primers 5′UTR and 3′UTR were used to PCR amplify the ORF from cDNA and clone the resulting product. The 2.2 kb DNA fragment encoding the complete ORF was then cloned into the baculovirus donor vector pFastBac1 behind the polyhedrin promoter. Transfer to baculovirus was accomplished by transposition using the Bac-to-Bac Baculovirus Expression System (Life Technologies). Insect cells were infected by the recombinant virus and the cells were assayed for TA/OAT activity.

Kinetics of Dopamine (DA) Uptake by Octopamine/Tyramine Transporter

Infection of insect cells with OA/TAT cDNA recombinant baculovirus induced the expression of OA/TAT indirectly visualized by the DA uptake activity of the cells, detected in the presence of 0.3 μM ³H-DA, 100 mM Na⁺, 115 mM Cl⁻. The uptake was linear for 4 min after which the rate started to decline. Consequently, all the kinetic and inhibition studies were done by measuring the ³H-DA uptake levels at 3 min, within linear range of uptake. The kinetic properties of OA/TAT for DA were determined from dose-dependent uptake of ³H-DA. Na⁺ independent uptake of ³H-DA represented less than 10% of the Na⁺ dependent uptake and all the data were corrected for the Na⁺ independent uptake. The mean of apparent K_(m) for DA is 2.9±0.4 μM (n=3) over a V_(max) range of 5.1 to 17.8 pmoles/well/min, in three different experiments. Cells infected with a mock baculovirus, GUS (β-glucuronidase)-recombinant virus accumulated 3.32±0.28% of the ³H-DA accumulated in insect cells expressing OA/TAT.

Dopamine Uptake Inhibited by Potential Competitive Substrates or Inhibitors

Tyramine (TA), octopamine (OA) and norepinephrine (NE), naturally occurring monoamines that have a similar structure to DA, were tested together with DA for their ability to inhibit ³H-DA uptake. The concentration range of an unlabeled competitive inhibitor was selected according to the expected IC₅₀ value. The IC₅₀ values obtained were 0.39±0.11 μM for TA, 1.92±0.28 μM for OA, 4.10±1.02 μM for DA and 22.04±2.94 μM for NE. The apparent K_(i) values (calculation based on Cheng et al., (1973) Biochem Pharmacol 22:3099) were 0.35±0.10 μM for TA, 1.74±0.25 μM for OA, 3.72±0.92 μM for DA and 20.04±2.67 μM for The rank order of apparent K_(i) on OA/TAT for potential substrates was: TA<OA<DA<NE.

The uptake of ³H-DA was also inhibited by other biogenic amines, their metabolites and other neurotransmitters, all tested at 10 μM (Table 1). Among the amines showing an inhibiting effect on ³H-DA uptake by OA/TAT uptake, (expressed as % inhibition at 10 μM), are: 2-phenylethylamine (61%), epinephrine (25%) and ephedrine (25%) (Table 1). The neurotransmitters tested serotonin and histamine, did not significantly alter the rate of ³H-DA uptake. Two tricyclic antidepressants, imipramine and desipramine, both used at 10 μM show inhibition effects of 50% and 73%, respectively (Tablel). Nomifensine (10 μM ), a selective antagonist for NET, inhibits 74% of control ³H-DA uptake. GBR 12909, a very potent and specific inhibitor of the mammalian DATs, did not affect OA/TAT's activity. Chlorpromazine (10 μM) a phenothiazine compound, inhibits the uptake 41% while Riluzole (100 μM) a competitive blocker of DAT did not influence the activity of OA/TAT (Table 1).

TABLE 1 Inhibition of ³H-Dopamine uptake by OA/TAT* by related phenylethylamines and other inhibitors of monoamine transport Compound % Inhibition SD Phenylethylamines and other monoamines Tyramine 96.54 0.90 Octopamine 80.89 0.69 Dopamine 70.18 6.46 2-Phenylethylamine 60.98 1.05 Norepinephrine 27.23 6.67 Epinephrine 25.18 1.71 Ephedrine 24.88 3.87 Synephrine 6.39 7.39 Pseudoephedrine 1.31 3.94 Tryptamine 9.57 0.91 Histamine −1.81 1.78 Serotonin −3.6 3.70 Drugs known to block monoamine transporters Imipramine 50.29 4.09 Desipramine 73.10 5.83 Nomifensine 74.08 2.33 Chlorpromazine 40.66 0.43 GBR12909 −10.04 12.99 Riluzole** −11.29 2.98 All data are the means of three experiments. SD represents standard deviation *³H-DA uptake by OA/TAT at 0.3 μM ³H-DA, 100 mM Na⁺ and 115 mM Cl⁻ **the inhibitor concentration used was 10 μM except for Riluzole (100 μM)

Na⁺, Cl⁻ Requirements for Octopamine/Tyramine Transporter Activity

Na⁺ substitution with K⁺, Li⁺, choline⁺ nor NMG⁺ in bathing saline reduced the DA uptake to between 2-4% of the control uptake (Na⁺100 mM) indicating a strong requirement for Na⁺. A previous study addressing the Cl⁻ requirements of a related transporter, GABA transporter (TrnGAT-1) was performed in saline containing 100 mM Na⁺ and 147.7 mM Cl⁻ or their substitutes at the same concentration. The total amount of anions in these salines was 177.4 mM. Substitution studies using salines similar to those used for GABA transporter indicated that the anion requirements of OA/TAT is substantially different. Unlike for TrnGAT-1, salines containing Cl⁻ or other anions at a concentration of 147.7 mM inhibited 90% of the OA/TAT activity. Thus, in the next set of salines the concentration of Cl⁻ or other anions was lowered at 92.7 mM, supplementing the salines with SO₄ ²⁻(22.4 mM), H₂PO₄ ⁻(7.3 mM) and glutamate⁻(55 mM) to total anion concentration of 177.4 mM. The results using those salines showed that Br⁻, NO₃ ⁻, HPO₄ ²⁻/H₂PO₄ ⁻ and glutamate⁻ were capable of sustaining 76%, 60%, 56% and 51% of OA/TAT activity in the absence of Cl⁻. The rest of the salines containing gluconate⁻, aspartate⁻, I⁻, citrate³⁻ and SO₄ ²⁻ sustained only 29%, 24%, 25%, 22% and 12% of the OA/TAT activity measured in the presence of Cl⁻. Because every one of these salines contained low levels of SO₄ ²⁻ (22.4 mM), H₂PO₄ ⁻(7.3 mM) and glutamate⁻(55 mM), a special saline containing only those anions was designed in order to detect the background uptake levels caused by their presence in every one of the salines. Surprisingly, this saline sustained 77% of the OA/TAT activity suggesting that one or more of the anions SO₄ ²⁻, H₂PO₄ ⁻, glutamate⁻ or their combination could support the OA/TAT activity in the absence of Cl⁻. To investigate this possibility more extensively, a final set of salines each containing a single anion species was designed (see Example 1).

The salines containing single anions were able to substitute for Cl⁻ in supporting DA uptake as follows: H₂PO₄ ⁻(50 mM)(116%)>HPO₄ ²−/H₂PO⁴⁻ (75 mM)(77%), CO₃ ²⁻(50 mM) (49%)>HCO₃ ⁻/CO₃ ²⁻(75 mM)(45%) and glutamate⁻(100 mM)(27%) (FIG. 14). The rest of the salines at the concentrations tested did not significantly support the OA/TAT uptake. Also, the saline containing 100 mM Cl⁻ by itself did not support the OA/TAT uptake. All the results were expressed as % control, where control is the ³H-DA uptake in the presence of Na⁺(100 mM), Cl⁻ (92.7 mM), SO₄ ²⁻(22.4 mM), H₂PO₄ ⁻(7.3 mM) and glutamate⁻(55 mM).

20 1 2504 DNA Trichoplusia ni CDS (385)...(2397) OA/TA transporter 1 ggcacgaggt cgcctgagac gcacggtcgc agcccccgaa aatacttcgc aagttaccga 60 gtgatcacac tgagtgcctc tcaaacttcc aaagcaaata aacggaactt attgagaatt 120 tattggtaat ggcgagcagg cacgggtagc gcagcgggcg gcatggcggg catgcccgtg 180 ctcgggaaca gcgtcggagc cggcgaactg cgcgacacca gccgcgaggc gagcaacagg 240 tcgtcaagca gcggctcccg gcgcggctcc tccccgcacc acgcacagga ccatgagacg 300 tgtgacgcga ccgtccacaa gcctgacctg acgaggacgc ggcccaccag ctatgaccgg 360 gagtaccacg ataaggtccc cacc atg gcg acg tta agc ggt act ggt gtg 411 Met Ala Thr Leu Ser Gly Thr Gly Val 1 5 gtg acc cac aca gct ccg tct tac gag gag caa cgc gcg aac ccc gcg 459 Val Thr His Thr Ala Pro Ser Tyr Glu Glu Gln Arg Ala Asn Pro Ala 10 15 20 25 ctg ctc agc cgc ggc gcc agc ggc acg ccc ggc ggc cgc agc gtc agg 507 Leu Leu Ser Arg Gly Ala Ser Gly Thr Pro Gly Gly Arg Ser Val Arg 30 35 40 gat gac ggc tac tgc tca gct agc agc acg ccc aga gcc ttc gac aac 555 Asp Asp Gly Tyr Cys Ser Ala Ser Ser Thr Pro Arg Ala Phe Asp Asn 45 50 55 aaa tct acg aaa ggt tca gtg gtg acc ctg tcc tgt tat aag aag gaa 603 Lys Ser Thr Lys Gly Ser Val Val Thr Leu Ser Cys Tyr Lys Lys Glu 60 65 70 ccc aaa ata caa ata gag gag gaa tgc ttc tat agt gaa ccg aat aaa 651 Pro Lys Ile Gln Ile Glu Glu Glu Cys Phe Tyr Ser Glu Pro Asn Lys 75 80 85 cga ctc agg acg aat agt atc aag act gag gct gat gat ggg cgg gag 699 Arg Leu Arg Thr Asn Ser Ile Lys Thr Glu Ala Asp Asp Gly Arg Glu 90 95 100 105 acg tgg ggc acg ggc gcg gac ttt ctg ctc tcc atc att gga ttt gca 747 Thr Trp Gly Thr Gly Ala Asp Phe Leu Leu Ser Ile Ile Gly Phe Ala 110 115 120 gtg gat ctc gcc aat gtc tgg cgg ttc ccg tat ctc tgc tac agg aat 795 Val Asp Leu Ala Asn Val Trp Arg Phe Pro Tyr Leu Cys Tyr Arg Asn 125 130 135 ggc ggt ggt gca ttc ctg atc cct tac acg ttg atg ctg gtg ttc ggt 843 Gly Gly Gly Ala Phe Leu Ile Pro Tyr Thr Leu Met Leu Val Phe Gly 140 145 150 gct gtt cca cta ttc tac atg gag ctt atc ctc gga cag tac aac cgg 891 Ala Val Pro Leu Phe Tyr Met Glu Leu Ile Leu Gly Gln Tyr Asn Arg 155 160 165 cag gga ccg atc acg ctc tgg aag ata tgc ccg ctc ttc aaa ggt gtg 939 Gln Gly Pro Ile Thr Leu Trp Lys Ile Cys Pro Leu Phe Lys Gly Val 170 175 180 185 ggg ttc tgc gcg gtg atg gtg gct ttc tac gtc tcc ttc tac tat aac 987 Gly Phe Cys Ala Val Met Val Ala Phe Tyr Val Ser Phe Tyr Tyr Asn 190 195 200 gtc atc atc gga tgg gcg ttc tac ttc cta gtg tca tca gct cgg tcg 1035 Val Ile Ile Gly Trp Ala Phe Tyr Phe Leu Val Ser Ser Ala Arg Ser 205 210 215 gag ctc ccg tgg gtg cac tgc gac aac tcg tgg aac aca gac cag tgc 1083 Glu Leu Pro Trp Val His Cys Asp Asn Ser Trp Asn Thr Asp Gln Cys 220 225 230 tgg gcc tcc ggc tgg gac aac gct acc aac agg act gat gtc cgc tac 1131 Trp Ala Ser Gly Trp Asp Asn Ala Thr Asn Arg Thr Asp Val Arg Tyr 235 240 245 cag gga ccg ctg tcg cac ttc acg ccg gct tcc gag ttc ttt cat cga 1179 Gln Gly Pro Leu Ser His Phe Thr Pro Ala Ser Glu Phe Phe His Arg 250 255 260 265 gct gtc ctt gag atg cag aac tcc gag ggt ctg aat gac ttg ggc ttc 1227 Ala Val Leu Glu Met Gln Asn Ser Glu Gly Leu Asn Asp Leu Gly Phe 270 275 280 ccg aaa tgg caa ctg gcg att tgc ttg ggg ctg gtg tac gtc act ctc 1275 Pro Lys Trp Gln Leu Ala Ile Cys Leu Gly Leu Val Tyr Val Thr Leu 285 290 295 tac ctg tcg ctg ttc aaa ggc gtc aag agc tcc gga aaa gtg gta tgg 1323 Tyr Leu Ser Leu Phe Lys Gly Val Lys Ser Ser Gly Lys Val Val Trp 300 305 310 atg aca gca acg atg cca tac gtg gtg ctc tcc atc ctc ctt gct cga 1371 Met Thr Ala Thr Met Pro Tyr Val Val Leu Ser Ile Leu Leu Ala Arg 315 320 325 gga ctg ctg ctg ccc ggc gcc acg cga ggc atc gcc tac tat ctg cag 1419 Gly Leu Leu Leu Pro Gly Ala Thr Arg Gly Ile Ala Tyr Tyr Leu Gln 330 335 340 345 cca gaa ctc acc agg ctg aag gat aca caa gtg tgg gtg gat gcg gca 1467 Pro Glu Leu Thr Arg Leu Lys Asp Thr Gln Val Trp Val Asp Ala Ala 350 355 360 gtt caa atc ttc tac tct gtc ggc gct ggt ttt gga gtc cac ctc tcg 1515 Val Gln Ile Phe Tyr Ser Val Gly Ala Gly Phe Gly Val His Leu Ser 365 370 375 tac gcc agt tac aac acg ttt cac aat aac tgc tac aga gac tgt ttg 1563 Tyr Ala Ser Tyr Asn Thr Phe His Asn Asn Cys Tyr Arg Asp Cys Leu 380 385 390 gtt acg acg ctg gtc aac tgt ttc acg tca ttt ttc tcc gga ttc gta 1611 Val Thr Thr Leu Val Asn Cys Phe Thr Ser Phe Phe Ser Gly Phe Val 395 400 405 atc ttc aca tat ctt gga ttc atg tct cat aaa caa ggc gta ccg ata 1659 Ile Phe Thr Tyr Leu Gly Phe Met Ser His Lys Gln Gly Val Pro Ile 410 415 420 425 tcg tca gtg gcc acc gaa ggt cct ggg ctg gtg ttc caa gtg tat ccc 1707 Ser Ser Val Ala Thr Glu Gly Pro Gly Leu Val Phe Gln Val Tyr Pro 430 435 440 gag gcc gtg gcg acc cta ccg ggt gcc agt ctg tgg gcg atg ctc ttc 1755 Glu Ala Val Ala Thr Leu Pro Gly Ala Ser Leu Trp Ala Met Leu Phe 445 450 455 ttc ttc atg ctc atc atg cta gga ttg gat tcg ggg atg ggc ggt ctg 1803 Phe Phe Met Leu Ile Met Leu Gly Leu Asp Ser Gly Met Gly Gly Leu 460 465 470 gag tgc gtg atc acc ggc ttg ctg gac cag gcg cgt gcg tgt ggt gcc 1851 Glu Cys Val Ile Thr Gly Leu Leu Asp Gln Ala Arg Ala Cys Gly Ala 475 480 485 acc tgg ctg cgg cga gaa cat ttc acc ctc atc gtc gtc tgt gta tca 1899 Thr Trp Leu Arg Arg Glu His Phe Thr Leu Ile Val Val Cys Val Ser 490 495 500 505 ttc tgc gtg gcc tgt att aat gtt aca ccg ggc ggt atc tac atg ttc 1947 Phe Cys Val Ala Cys Ile Asn Val Thr Pro Gly Gly Ile Tyr Met Phe 510 515 520 cat ctc cta gac acg tat gct gct ggt atc tcg ttg ctc tgc tcc gcg 1995 His Leu Leu Asp Thr Tyr Ala Ala Gly Ile Ser Leu Leu Cys Ser Ala 525 530 535 ctg ttc gaa gcc gtt gct gtg tct tgg ttc tat ggt ttg aaa cgg ttt 2043 Leu Phe Glu Ala Val Ala Val Ser Trp Phe Tyr Gly Leu Lys Arg Phe 540 545 550 tct gat gac gtg gag gag atg ctc ggc ttc cga cct ggt ctg tac tgg 2091 Ser Asp Asp Val Glu Glu Met Leu Gly Phe Arg Pro Gly Leu Tyr Trp 555 560 565 agg ata tgc tgg aag ttc gtc agt ccc acc ttc att att ggt gtg gtg 2139 Arg Ile Cys Trp Lys Phe Val Ser Pro Thr Phe Ile Ile Gly Val Val 570 575 580 585 gta ttc ggg ctg cta tac cag cag cct ctc cag tac cag cag tac acg 2187 Val Phe Gly Leu Leu Tyr Gln Gln Pro Leu Gln Tyr Gln Gln Tyr Thr 590 595 600 tac ccg ccg tgg gcc gtg gtg ctg ggc tgg ggg ctg gcc tgc tcc tcc 2235 Tyr Pro Pro Trp Ala Val Val Leu Gly Trp Gly Leu Ala Cys Ser Ser 605 610 615 atc ctc atg atc cca gtc gtc ggt atc tac aag ctc atc tcc acg ccg 2283 Ile Leu Met Ile Pro Val Val Gly Ile Tyr Lys Leu Ile Ser Thr Pro 620 625 630 ggg aca ttc cgt gag cgc gtg gct tgc tgt att tca ccg gaa tct gag 2331 Gly Thr Phe Arg Glu Arg Val Ala Cys Cys Ile Ser Pro Glu Ser Glu 635 640 645 cac gag gcc att cgg gga ggc gcc cct gtc agc cgg ttc tcc tgg cga 2379 His Glu Ala Ile Arg Gly Gly Ala Pro Val Ser Arg Phe Ser Trp Arg 650 655 660 665 cac tgg ctg tac gtg taa acgaaccttt atggctattc tggaagattc 2427 His Trp Leu Tyr Val * 670 gaataaagaa ggtctatatc ttagtcagaa ataggcgctt cggagaggaa aaagaggggg 2487 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaa 2504 2 670 PRT Trichoplusia ni 2 Met Ala Thr Leu Ser Gly Thr Gly Val Val Thr His Thr Ala Pro Ser 1 5 10 15 Tyr Glu Glu Gln Arg Ala Asn Pro Ala Leu Leu Ser Arg Gly Ala Ser 20 25 30 Gly Thr Pro Gly Gly Arg Ser Val Arg Asp Asp Gly Tyr Cys Ser Ala 35 40 45 Ser Ser Thr Pro Arg Ala Phe Asp Asn Lys Ser Thr Lys Gly Ser Val 50 55 60 Val Thr Leu Ser Cys Tyr Lys Lys Glu Pro Lys Ile Gln Ile Glu Glu 65 70 75 80 Glu Cys Phe Tyr Ser Glu Pro Asn Lys Arg Leu Arg Thr Asn Ser Ile 85 90 95 Lys Thr Glu Ala Asp Asp Gly Arg Glu Thr Trp Gly Thr Gly Ala Asp 100 105 110 Phe Leu Leu Ser Ile Ile Gly Phe Ala Val Asp Leu Ala Asn Val Trp 115 120 125 Arg Phe Pro Tyr Leu Cys Tyr Arg Asn Gly Gly Gly Ala Phe Leu Ile 130 135 140 Pro Tyr Thr Leu Met Leu Val Phe Gly Ala Val Pro Leu Phe Tyr Met 145 150 155 160 Glu Leu Ile Leu Gly Gln Tyr Asn Arg Gln Gly Pro Ile Thr Leu Trp 165 170 175 Lys Ile Cys Pro Leu Phe Lys Gly Val Gly Phe Cys Ala Val Met Val 180 185 190 Ala Phe Tyr Val Ser Phe Tyr Tyr Asn Val Ile Ile Gly Trp Ala Phe 195 200 205 Tyr Phe Leu Val Ser Ser Ala Arg Ser Glu Leu Pro Trp Val His Cys 210 215 220 Asp Asn Ser Trp Asn Thr Asp Gln Cys Trp Ala Ser Gly Trp Asp Asn 225 230 235 240 Ala Thr Asn Arg Thr Asp Val Arg Tyr Gln Gly Pro Leu Ser His Phe 245 250 255 Thr Pro Ala Ser Glu Phe Phe His Arg Ala Val Leu Glu Met Gln Asn 260 265 270 Ser Glu Gly Leu Asn Asp Leu Gly Phe Pro Lys Trp Gln Leu Ala Ile 275 280 285 Cys Leu Gly Leu Val Tyr Val Thr Leu Tyr Leu Ser Leu Phe Lys Gly 290 295 300 Val Lys Ser Ser Gly Lys Val Val Trp Met Thr Ala Thr Met Pro Tyr 305 310 315 320 Val Val Leu Ser Ile Leu Leu Ala Arg Gly Leu Leu Leu Pro Gly Ala 325 330 335 Thr Arg Gly Ile Ala Tyr Tyr Leu Gln Pro Glu Leu Thr Arg Leu Lys 340 345 350 Asp Thr Gln Val Trp Val Asp Ala Ala Val Gln Ile Phe Tyr Ser Val 355 360 365 Gly Ala Gly Phe Gly Val His Leu Ser Tyr Ala Ser Tyr Asn Thr Phe 370 375 380 His Asn Asn Cys Tyr Arg Asp Cys Leu Val Thr Thr Leu Val Asn Cys 385 390 395 400 Phe Thr Ser Phe Phe Ser Gly Phe Val Ile Phe Thr Tyr Leu Gly Phe 405 410 415 Met Ser His Lys Gln Gly Val Pro Ile Ser Ser Val Ala Thr Glu Gly 420 425 430 Pro Gly Leu Val Phe Gln Val Tyr Pro Glu Ala Val Ala Thr Leu Pro 435 440 445 Gly Ala Ser Leu Trp Ala Met Leu Phe Phe Phe Met Leu Ile Met Leu 450 455 460 Gly Leu Asp Ser Gly Met Gly Gly Leu Glu Cys Val Ile Thr Gly Leu 465 470 475 480 Leu Asp Gln Ala Arg Ala Cys Gly Ala Thr Trp Leu Arg Arg Glu His 485 490 495 Phe Thr Leu Ile Val Val Cys Val Ser Phe Cys Val Ala Cys Ile Asn 500 505 510 Val Thr Pro Gly Gly Ile Tyr Met Phe His Leu Leu Asp Thr Tyr Ala 515 520 525 Ala Gly Ile Ser Leu Leu Cys Ser Ala Leu Phe Glu Ala Val Ala Val 530 535 540 Ser Trp Phe Tyr Gly Leu Lys Arg Phe Ser Asp Asp Val Glu Glu Met 545 550 555 560 Leu Gly Phe Arg Pro Gly Leu Tyr Trp Arg Ile Cys Trp Lys Phe Val 565 570 575 Ser Pro Thr Phe Ile Ile Gly Val Val Val Phe Gly Leu Leu Tyr Gln 580 585 590 Gln Pro Leu Gln Tyr Gln Gln Tyr Thr Tyr Pro Pro Trp Ala Val Val 595 600 605 Leu Gly Trp Gly Leu Ala Cys Ser Ser Ile Leu Met Ile Pro Val Val 610 615 620 Gly Ile Tyr Lys Leu Ile Ser Thr Pro Gly Thr Phe Arg Glu Arg Val 625 630 635 640 Ala Cys Cys Ile Ser Pro Glu Ser Glu His Glu Ala Ile Arg Gly Gly 645 650 655 Ala Pro Val Ser Arg Phe Ser Trp Arg His Trp Leu Tyr Val 660 665 670 3 8 PRT Artificial Sequence Highly conserved region of mammalian Na+/Cl- dependent dopamine transporter protein family (DAT1) 3 Gly Met Pro Leu Phe Tyr Met Glu 1 5 4 8 PRT Artificial Sequence Highly conserved region of mammalian Na+/Cl- dependent dopamine transporter protein family (DAT2) 4 Trp Lys Gly Val Lys Thr Ser Gly 1 5 5 8 PRT Artificial Sequence Highly conserved region of mammalian Na+/Cl- dependent dopamine transporter protein family (DAT3) 5 Lys Val Val Trp Ile Thr Ala Thr 1 5 6 7 PRT Artificial Sequence Highly conserved region of mammalian Na+/Cl- dependent GABA transporter protein family (GABA1) 6 Asn Val Trp Arg Phe Pro Tyr 1 5 7 9 PRT Artificial Sequence Highly conserved region of mammalian Na+/Cl- dependent GABA transporter protein family (GABA2) 7 Ser Lys Trp Gly Lys Trp Ile Cys Phe 1 5 8 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Upstream PCR primer (BKRev) for use with cloning vector pBK-CMV 8 acaggaaaca gctatgacct tgat 24 9 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Upstream PCR primer (T3+) for use with cloning vector pBK-CMV 9 cctcactaaa gggaacaaaa gctg 24 10 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Downstream PCR primer (BKFor) for use with cloning vector pBK-CMV 10 gtaaaacgac ggccagtgaa ttgt 24 11 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Downstream PCR primer (T7+) for use with cloning vector pBK-CMV 11 acgactcact atagggcgaa ttgg 24 12 22 DNA Artificial Sequence Upstream PCR primer (For1) used with cloning vector pBK-CMV 12 accactttcc ggagctcttg ac 22 13 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Upstream PCR primer (For2) used with cloning vector pBK-CMV 13 ctttgaacag cgacaggtag agag 24 14 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Downstream PCR primer (Rev1) used with cloning vector pBK-CMV 14 acatggagct tatcttcgga cagt 24 15 23 DNA Artificial Sequence Downstream PCR primer (Rev2) used with cloning vector pBK-CMV 15 agggaccgat cacgctctgg aag 23 16 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Downstream PCR primer designed from the cDNA encoding glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase to amplify specific products 16 cttgtttcta cataaattta ttcc 24 17 25 DNA Artificial Sequence Upstream PCR primer designed from the cDNA encoding glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase to amplify specific products 17 aacaacattt atctctacac tgcta 25 18 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Upstream PCR primer designed from the cDNA encoding glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase to amplify specific products 18 ggccaaggtc atccatgaca actt 24 19 27 DNA Artificial Sequence PCR primer (5′UTR-BamHI) designed from the cDNA encoding octopamine/tyramine transporter 19 gcggatccac gcacaggacc atgagac 27 20 27 DNA Artificial Sequence PCR primer (3′UTR-KpnI) designed from the cDNA encoding octopamine/tryamine transporter 20 cgggtaccga agcgcctatt tctgact 27 

We claim:
 1. An isolated nucleic acid encoding a lepidopteran octopamine/tyramine transporter, wherein the isolated nucleic acid hybridizes under moderate stringency conditions to the complement of a nucleic acid having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, and wherein the lepidopteran octopamine/tyramine transporter has sodium-dependent transport activity which has affinity for dopamine and which is inhibited by octopamine and tyramine.
 2. The isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 where in the nucleic acid is isolatable from Trichoplusia ni.
 3. The isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 comprising a nucleotide sequence that encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 2. 4. The isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 1. 5. The isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 that hybridizes under high stringency conditions to the complement of a nucleic acid having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 1. 6. The isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 having at least about 80% sequence identity to a nucleic acid having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 1. 7. A vector comprising a the isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 operably linked to a promoter.
 8. The vector of claim 7 wherein the vector is a baculovirus vector.
 9. A host cell comprising the vector of claim
 7. 10. The host cell of claim 8 wherein the cell is an insect cell.
 11. The host cell of claim 8 wherein the cell is Spodoptera frugiperda.
 12. A method of making a recombinant lepidopteran octopamine/tyramine transporter comprising introducing the isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 into a host cell and culturing the host cell under conditions suitable for expression of the transparter.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the host cell is an insect cell.
 14. A composition comprising a recombinant lepidopteran octopamine/tyramine transporter encoded by the isolated nucleic acid of claim 1 in a cell membrane.
 15. The composition of claim 14 wherein the cell membrane is a membrane preparation.
 16. The composition of claim 14 wherein the cell membrane is in an intact cell.
 17. The composition of claim 14 wherein the cell membrane is an oocyte.
 18. A kit for identifying agonists and antagonists to a lepidopteran octopamine/tyramine transporter encoded by the nucleic acid of claim 1 comprising a first container containing a recombinant lepidopteran octopamine/tyramine transporter in a cell membrane.
 19. The kit of claim 18 further comprising a second container containing a monoamine selected from the group consisting of octopamine, tyramine and dopamine. 